PATH Intl. wants to thank its 2011 sponsors and exhibitors who
have committed thus far. If you have any questions about
sponsoring PATH Intl. or exhibiting at the 2011 PATH
International Conference and Annual Meeting in Lexington, KY,
please contact

Be beautiful and support PATH International
at the same time. From now until September 10, AVON
representative Julie Gridley will donate 7% of all AVON orders
to PATH Intl. Orders must be placed through Julie at
www.youravon.com/byJules. You must use the code
DONATETHERAPY for PATH Intl. to receive the donation.
Click here for details.

You
can see in the 2011 PATH International Conference and Annual
Meeting registration book the great session line-up and can
also decide which networking events you would like to attend.

You'll see that the session line-up is divided into
levels, designated by horseshoes. One of the many wonderful
things about the PATH International Conference is that there
is something for everyone, from the newbie to the advanced
member. For example, "The Bricks & Mortar of Community
Building" is at the novice level, designated by a single
horseshoe. In this session, you will find out how to create
healthier, more effective communities. The group will engage
in experiential exercises as it identifies aspects of
community building. Another session, "Diversifying Your
Programs for Sustainability," is at the Expert level, shown
with three horseshoes. In this "advanced knowledge" session,
four EFL models are examined to provide a formula for creating
innovative programs. Whether you are new to the EAAT industry
or have many years behind you, you will find something of
interest in the Research, Program, Administrative and EFP/EFL
tracks.

Book a
room at the Hyatt Regency Lexington by calling (859) 253-1234
or
click here. Enter the code g-NARH into the
corporate\group# field to apply our group rate. If you call
for reservations, be sure to mention you're with PATH
International.

Select Your Conference Sessions Now

For those who took advantage of the promotional rate, session
information is now available. There has been a large response
to the conference, so we encourage you to make your selections
as soon as possible to ensure you get into the sessions you
want.

To make your meal, special event and session selections visit
the PATH Intl.
website. Log in at the upper right hand corner using your
email address and password.

Once you have logged in, select "my account" and then select
"my events." The "my events" page will list all events for
which you are registered. Next to the annual conference you
will see a link, "add sessions." Click on "add sessions" and
you will be able to check each item you want to add to your
current conference registration.

Session details can be found in the registration book. A copy
of the registration book was mailed with the summer edition of
PATH Intl. STRIDES magazine but you can also
click here for the digital registration book.

Airline Discounts for Conference Registrants!

Book your travel to the PATH International Conference and
Annual Meeting through Delta Airlines and receive discounts on
airfare. Domestic flights can be booked Nov. 4-15
(unfortunately, the discounts do not cover international
flights). Email
Bonnie Burgess, PATH Intl.'s travel agent, to book your
travel and discuss discount options.

Conference Registration Reminder

All conference registrants must register separately with a
unique personal email address. If you are registering more
than one person, please note that you will need to process
each individual separately using his or her unique email
address and password. This will ensure that all registrants
will be properly credited with their continuing education
hours under their individual account records.

If you are registering multiple people and do not have their
personal sign-in information, we recommend sending in hard
copies of the registration form to the PATH International
office. Copies of the registration from can be found in the
summer edition of PATH International Strides. You can
also
click here to visit the conference page and download the
registration book. If you are having difficulty logging in
with your email address and password, please contact the PATH
Intl. member services department for assistance, (800)
369-7433.

PATH Intl. Region 5 Conference in September

The hotel rooms for the 2011 PATH International Conference in
Lexington, KY, are filling up quickly. If you would like to
share a room,
click here to see contact information of others who are
looking for a roommate. You must be logged in to see this
information. NOTE: PATH Intl. will
not match you up with someone. If you would like to
have your name and contact information added to the list,
email Cher Smith.

PATH Intl. Region 5 Conference in September

Region 5 would like to invite you to attend the PATH Intl.
Region 5 conference, September 16-18, at the Calvin Center in
Hampton, GA. Look for information to be available soon on the
PATH Intl. regional conference page.

Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning
Certification Update

While this certification opens the door for many additional
programs and services to be provided in the field of
equine-assisted activities and therapies, there are enhancements
needed. There are multiple PATH International committees and task
forces working on refining the certification as well as the
standards and guidelines that are affected. Watch for future
updates in the PATH Intl. eNews and other communications coming
soon.

From the Equine Welfare Committee

Approaching with MindfulnessBy Heidi Potter, Equine Welfare Committee

You are heading out to catch your horse. Your thoughts are most
likely filled with what awaits you once you get in the saddle.
Maybe it is a nice stroll in the woods or a schooling session.
Maybe it is a lesson that you have planned or moving the cows from
one pasture to the next. Whatever your endeavor might be, rest
assured that your equine friend probably won't be thinking the
same thing.

Because horses live in the moment, their minds will most likely be
quiet. They may just be enjoying the morning sun, snoozing in
their shelter or grazing in the pasture peacefully alongside their
friends. While we have grand ideas about what lies ahead, our
equine partner most likely will not.

One of the most valuable gifts our horses give to us is the idea
of living in the moment. To help us understand our horses better
we need to clear our minds of all thoughts about the past or the
future. We want to focus on being in the present and approaching
him in a mindful manner.

Take a few big, deep breaths before you head out to get your
horse. Allow the breath to travel through your body. Upon
exhaling, release all tension and let your mind become calm. When
you see your horse, take a second to connect with him. Think about
what he may be feeling. Become aware of all that surrounds him.
Observe his body language for a minute. Get a sense of how he is
responding to your approach, to the other horses and to the
environment around him. When you do approach him, do it mindfully.
Say "hello" instead of just going up and putting on his halter.
Give him a rub on the withers and down his back. Scratch his sweet
spot. Allow him the pleasure of your touch and being in your
presence. Then "ask" him for permission to put on the halter. Wait
for him to turn his head and show that he is ready.

Breathing, connecting with the moment and approaching your horse
mindfully will help to ensure a more pleasant experience for you
both. Likewise, practicing this during the time that you are away
from your horse is also of great benefit. Remembering to breathe
and relax during busy or stressful times throughout your day will
help you tremendously. Taking a few deep breaths will help you
relax mentally, physically and emotionally. It will also greatly
improve your overall awareness of the world around you. Regardless
of where you are or what you are doing, your breath is your most
powerful tool. Remember to use it.

So just breathe, relax and enjoy living in the moment, just like
your equine friend!

Looking to Adopt Horses for Your Center? Start Here!

Many times we at PATH Intl. are asked by centers where they can
find horses. PATH Intl. is partners with DonateMyHorse.com, a
place where prospective horse donors can post their horses for
adoption and where prospective adopters can see available horses.

In addition, two other programs offer horse adoption services. The
Standardbred Retirement Foundation in New Jersey,
www.adoptahorse.org, follows horses for life and generally does a
fairly extensive training of their horses. They will also place
horses in therapeutic progrms at no cost. New Vocations in Ohio,
www.horseadoption.com, also trains their horses. They deal with
many horses, so if they don't have the right horse today, they may
in a short while.

If you are looking for horses to adopt into your program, start
with one of these programs.

Workshops and Certifications

Unless otherwise noted, contact
Abigail Hendren at (800) 369-7433, ext. 104 for further
information. All dates are subject to change. To register
for an event, please contact the host site directly. You can
locate their contact information under the
Find a Center link on the PATH Intl. home page or on the
PATH Intl. events calendar.

Please visit the
PATH Intl. calendar for a list of 2011 Registered
On-Site Workshops and Certifications.

Please
direct correspondence about this newsletter to
PATH Intl. eNews coordinator. PATH Intl. eNews
is a benefit of Professional Association of Therapeutic
Horsemanship International membership. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic,
scanned or electronic process without written permission from
PATH Intl. PATH Intl. reserves the right to reject, accept and
edit submitted material. PATH Intl. eNews is intended
as an information exchange and an opportunity for communication
for members in the field of equine assisted activities. The
opinions, practices or products presented in PATH Intl. eNews do
not necessarily reflect PATH Intl. policy, imply PATH Intl.
endorsement or comply with PATH Intl. standards.